When a hungry man is fed and is satisfied, in that feeling of satisfaction, the universal being that has been manifested in the form of hunger is satisfied. When an ailing patient is cared for with love and healed, in his health and healing, a part of the universal consciousness is restored. When the unclothed are clothed, the unsheltered are sheltered and the uneducated are educated, their happiness is the delight of the entire creation. Every act of kindness and compassion heals and restores life. Any life that is cared for amounts to protecting and preserving the whole creation.
It’s a cycle. Serve to sow good seeds: We are all a connected whole. This life is a cruise that carries the entire humanity on its decks, and any defect anywhere can affect the experience and journey of all the travellers.
Children who are ignored due to lack of financial ability to educate themselves may turn into anti-social elements tomorrow and cause disruption to the wealth of the affluent. Their anger and frustration will consume the peace and prosperity of the wealthy. The wealthy will one day find themselves in want of customers who can buy their products. This is how the balance can be disrupted, if we continue to ignore the needs of the needy.
One cannot keep quiet thinking, 'it is their problem; not mine.’ Every problem in today’s world, irrespective of who is facing it, will one day become our problem too. Hence, by understanding the need for serving others, even from this practical angle, would help us realise the imperativeness of coming together to help and serve each other.
Approach service as your purpose: To serve others in whatever one’s capacity is the purpose of this life. One can choose to serve in their own way, by selecting what suits their aptitude and interests. There are three factors that play differently in the three stages of human life. These factors are Time, Energy and Money and the three stages are Children, Adults and Elders. At each of these stages, the factors presume different levels of importance. It is important to understand this to know how effectively we can be of service.
#More Time, More Energy, No Money – Children
#More Energy, More Money, Less Time – Adults
#More Time, More Money, Less Energy – Elders
The intelligent way to live is to use every stage of life to fulfil one’s purpose of service with one’s available time, resources and energy.
The give-and-take reversal in service: There is one formula to fulfil our purpose of service and this is to give back more than what we have taken from others—‘Give More, Take Less’ is the fundamental principle of service. Take, for example, our breath. Our breath is our best teacher. When we breathe out, we automatically breathe in. If we are not breathing out, we cannot breathe in either. This is how life works—by giving, we receive. The basic purpose of our life is to give and not to receive because it is in giving that we actually receive. Even in our professional lives, it is only because we offer our skills and knowledge for the business of our company that we get a salary by the end of the month. The same applies to service. It is about giving first before receiving.
Keep your service dividend intact:
#The expenditure for needs: A quarter of the income should be spent on running your family. More than a quarter should not be spent on unnecessary luxuries and comforts.
#The expenditure for savings: The second quarter should be kept aside for savings.
#The expenditure that you owe: The third quarter is for paying your taxes to the society—to the Government, or other agencies, or paying back your debts, etc.
#The expenditure on charity: The fourth quarter is to be spent on charity.
The first three quarters are to be expended to fulfil your duties and manage your obligations. The fourth part is beyond the call of your duty, and this is your service dividend. You can define your need according to your obligation to the society. Draw a line between your needs and wants. Once your needs are met, you can always set aside the remaining for the good of the society. This is the only way that we can uplift the lives of the downtrodden, and only by this way can we put an end to crimes like theft and all the other negative ideas in the society.
The writer is a spiritual teacher and humanitarian